Process for treating pineapples.



H. .G. GINACA.

PROCESS FOR TREATING PINEAPPLES.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 29, 1913.

1,121,007, Patented Dec. 15,1914.

i I 1 %ZW /y%% 85 been removed with water condense 50 with L pores ofthe fruit readily takes sugar UNITED STATES P TENT OFFICE.

HENRY GABRIEL eurAoA', or HONOLULU, TERRITORY or HAWAII, AssIeiIoR ToHAWAIIAN PINEAPPLE COMPANY, LIMITED, or HONOLULU, TERRITORY or IIAwAI AcoRPoRATIoN or THE TERRIToRY or HAWAII.

PROCESS FOR TREATING PINEAPPLES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 15, 1914.

for Treating Pineapples; and I do herebydeclare the llowing to be afull, clear and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

This invention relates to a process for treating fruit, particularlypineapples, dur-' ing the operation of canning. Its object is tofacilitate the syruping of vacuumized fruit and more erfectlyincorporate the sugar in the fruit, thereby improving its quality.

Another object is to eliminate the passin of the cans after syrupingthrough the 01 type of steam exhauster, which is the usual method ofdriving the air and gas out of the fruit and heating the fruit in thecans before the cans are sealed.

A further object is to eliminate syruping the fruit while under avacuum, which-requires com licafted machinery for its ractical accompishment in a commercia y successful manner.

80 The present process contemplates, vacuumizing in a chamber the fruitat normal temperature contained in the opentop cans, then admittingsteam to fill the pores or cells of the fruit, from which the air and ashas from said steam, the removal of the cans from the chamber, and thentreating the fruit in these cans with a syrup, preferably consisting ofrefined cane sugar and water. In exhausting the air from the chamber theair and gases in the cells or pores of the fruit is removed at the sametime, in a well known manner, so that during the succeeding treatment bysteam these cells or pores are filled 46 with water condensed from thesteam, thereby 'preventinglair from entering the cells or pores when t evacuum is broken and the fruit is removed from the chamber. Consequentlydurin the succeeding treatment syrup this water now in the cells or omthe syrup by endosmose or o erwlse.

The treatment by steam also heats the fruit, which is desirable.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing, which illustrates myinvention in' sectional elevation.

The box 1 is provided with a removable cover 2 with a gasket 3interposed, and forms an air tight chamber in which may be placed theopen top can 4 filled with peeled fruitto be treated. The air in thischamber is now' exhausted by opening the valve 5 in the pipe 6, whichconnects the interior of the box 1 with a vacuum pump or with any othersuitable means for exhausting the air, to preferably about 28 inches ofmercury. At the same time the air or gases in the cells or pores of thefruit in the can 4 is removed with the air from the chamber. The valve 5'is now closed, and the valve 7 in the pipe 8 connected to a steamsupply is opened, thereby admitting steam to the chamber. When the fruitin the can 4 has been heated,

referably to about 140 degrees F., the valve is closed. The valve 9 isnow opened to connect the chamber with the atmosphere and break thevacuum, and the can 4 is then removed from the box 1 upon lifting ofithe cover 2. The can 4 is now treated with a hot syrup, preferably ofrefined cane sugar and water, and the heated fruit, the pores and cellsof which now contain water condensed during the treatment by steam,takes up sugar rapidly from the syrup and sweetens the fruit, and thecan is now ready for sealing.

Of course a number of tins or cans of fruit are treated as describedsimultaneously in the chamber, although but one can is illustrated inthe drawing.

It will be noted that the air or gas in the cells or pores of the peeledfruit in the cans has been replaced by water and that the fruit has beenheated by steam while under a vacuum, that the cans are then removed andsyruped and made ready for seal ng, by the process described, therebyeliminatmg the steam exhauster in the process heretofore employed. Atthe same time thequality of the product is improved.

I claim:

1. A process for treating fruit, which consists in withdrawing the airand gases from all of the cells. and pores'of the fruit,'

' admitting steam to the cells and pores, and

then treating the fruit with a syrup or sugar I solution.

2 A process for treating pineapples comprising, placing in a chamber theopen top cans containing the peeled fruit, exhausting the air from saidchamber, then admitting steam to the chamber, and then treating thefruit in the cans with a syrup or sugar solu- 10

